September 2018 - Page 3 of 4 - Reviews and Other Stuff

Month: September 2018

FabFitFun Fall 2018 Box Review

September 12, 2018 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

Fall is coming and I’ve got a subscription box to review and unveil to you guys. As you remember before, I stopped subscribing to Sephora Play and was looking into another exciting subscription box that seemed really promising to me. Well, that box is FabFitFun, which is a seasonal subscription box that not only sends you some beauty and skincare products (Fab, I suppose), they’ll also send you something for “Fit” and for “Fun”, and all the products are in full-sizes and never as samples.

Basically, the subscription works by sending you four boxes in a year, one in each season. The products include something that’s meant for beauty, wellness, fitness, and fashion – all curated by the FabFitFun team. The box’s contents which are limited editions, are said to be valued at around $200+. There are two kinds of memberships, the Seasonal and the Annual. For the Seasonal one, you pay $49.99 per box per season and you can see some sneak peeks of what’s coming on your next box, as well as being able to customize a few items. For the Annual membership, which costs $179.99 upfront, you’ll be able to customize your future box further and get early shipping for the boxes. Also, you’ll get $20 instant savings, be able to customize the design of your own box, and have an early access to seasonal add-ons, plus more.

I signed up for the Seasonal membership and I love it! The box is large and pretty and I was able to customize some of the important or desirable products that are going to be on my box. Also, the box had several products in it and they’re really useful for me, plus, I love the fact that they’re all full-sizes and not just samples which are awesome because then I’ll be able to really test the product properly.

Here are the items I got for this Fall’s box.

Cuccio Somatology Yogahhh Detox Bath ($39.95) – These relaxing bath salts will make you feel fab and it’s totally fun. It has a relaxing scent of Eucalyptus that will soothe your skin and your senses, plus, it has a softening effect on the skin.

Simply Whimsical Set of 2 Tea Towels ($14.99) – I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect with these towels, and why I got them or whether they belong to the fab, fit, or fun part. At first, they kinda feel scratchy and quite thin, but I did like their minimalistic design. What’s surprising is that they became so soft right after washing and now they earned a spot in my kitchen.

Clif Bar Luna Rica (Salted Caramel Nut, 12 ct: $16.62) – Definitely meant as a fit product, this nutrition bar really tastes good. It has a nutty and sweet (but not extremely sweet) taste, and it’s kinda filling too.

Grown Alchemist Polishing Facial Exfoliant (75 ml: $67) – This has a nice light rosy herbal scent with a gritty and clayish texture. I love how this mildly exfoliates the dead skin cells off the face and a little bit goes a long way.

Skin & Co Roma, Blue in Capri ($22) – Can be either a body wash or for a bubble bath. The scent of this is very mild, like a watered-down scent of basil and sage with something earthy. This doesn’t really lather much, but it leaves a clean scent after.

Crown Pro 6pc Limited Edition Essentials Syntho Brush Set (Black and Rose: $75) – I had the option of choosing the Vince Camuto Luck Tote over these brushes, but instead, I picked these since I wasn’t really smitten with the look and quality of the said tote. I think I made the right decision because these brushes are soft, versatile, and are sleek.

Glamglow Bubblesheet Oxygenating Deep Cleanse Mask ($9 per mask) – I received two and was really excited to try them since I’ve never really had them before. Much to my surprise, these masks are a lot of fun and they bubble instantly. They’re also super moisturizing and deep pore-cleansing.

Beautyblender (Nude: $20) – I was surprised to see this inside my box and I was really glad because I love beautyblenders and they’re so useful. I use them all the time and it’s nice to have an extra one from FabFitFun.

Cylo Cobra Bluetooth Earbuds ($40) – These are really useful and they work by Bluetooth, which makes them convenient to use. I love the fact that they have a strap and their sound quality is pretty good. These would have been perfect though if it wasn’t for the in-line microphone remote/audio hanging heavily on one side. One of my ears is supporting it, and it feels kinda heavy and uncomfortable in the long run.

Alfred Ceramic and Stainless Steel Teapot ($26) – If you’re a tea drinker, then you’re gonna love this pretty teapot. It has nice metal infuser inside and its overall size is pretty convenient for a quick afternoon tea party.

Some of the brands from this subscription box are quite unfamiliar to me, but it’s nice to know them. While I wasn’t quite certain which products actually belong to the fab, fit, and fun category, I’m pretty sure that I’m getting my money’s worth with this box, and with that being said, I highly recommend that you try this FabFitFun subscription box.

To access these products and to sign up for the FabFitFun Subscription Box, click HERE.

Have you tried these already? What’s your current favorite subscription box?

Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick Highlighter Review & Swatches

September 10, 2018 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

Hey there. Ever since falling in love with the Bobbi Brown Mini Glow Set that I got from the last Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, which contains the mini Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Sunset Pink and the mini Face Blender Brush (seen HERE), I knew right then and there that I’ve got to have more of the Shimmer Brick Highlighters especially in their full sizes. I may be late in the game of liking these amazing blush-highlighter hybrids, but I just wanna take a moment to tell you how good these beauties are.

The Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick Highlighters (standard size 0.4 oz: $48, mini 0.14 oz: $25) are the iconic face highlighters loved by a lot of people and is also an Allure Best of Beauty Winner. If you’ve never tried these compacts before and are wondering what’s so special about them, well there’s definitely a lot to love. For starters, these are meant to be as all-over face highlighters that deliver soft-focus color and lit-from-within glow, the kind that is natural and one that gives a subtle shimmer finish. Each compact delivers a glow that can be rosy, bronze-gold, lush coral, or metallic pink, and since there are five shades in one compact, the colors are multidimensional and forever changing once they get hit by the light. The pigments are good in these and they can be layered easily. Blending them is such a breeze and you can never go wrong if you put too much of the product since the colors have a soft-focus effect.

I mostly use these as highlighting blushes and these literally made me fall in love with face blushes all over again. I haven’t been a fan of blushes in a long time and it’s a beauty product I normally shy away from because I already have “somewhat prominent” cheeks and I did not want to emphasize them further. Literally, the only two face blushes I could tolerate are the Tarte Paaarty and the Nars Orgasm (or Goulue, but it’s currently sold out). Never knew I could love a multifaced highlighter/blush hybrid like these Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick Compacts.

Bronze – deep bronzy glow. True to its description, this is a golden glowy blush/highlighter/bronzer.

Nectar – soft, coral glow. Adds a nice coral-pink shimmer flush on the face.

Pink Quartz – soft, warm pink glow. Appears like a metallic pinkish-pearlized highlighter on me.

Rose – soft, rosy glow. Very subtle rosy pink with a very slight shimmer.

Sunset Pink – Nordstrom Exclusive and is still available at BobbiBrown.com. Has a nice complex blend of rosy golden-bronze shimmer. At first glance, it looks like a combination of some of the shades from Bronze and Pink Quartz, but upon application, the closest shade it matches with is Bronze. Swatched HERE.

These compacts are so long-wearing that they’d still be on my face for a full day and they definitely elevate my makeup look. Also, they can be used as eyeshadows if you’re traveling and they can literally make you look well put together in a few minutes. Just brush a light stroke of these on the cheeks, add an eyeliner, emphasize the brows, a little lip color and you’re good to go. Oh, and add some hair flip drama, LOL.

Another thing I really like about these Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick Highlighters is the fact that they’re not orangey or too pinkish, instead, their glow is very natural, versatile, and healthy-looking. You could pretty much wear them beyond Spring/ Summer and the radiance they have on the skin can still be wearable even if you’ve already applied too much product. They’re not super blinding, though they can be if you want a more dramatic effect. They’re just slightly shimmery and they have a nice glowy flush that adds warmth and directs light to the high points of the face. These are definitely my most favorite Bobbi Brown products and the ones I highly recommend.

The Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick Highlighter is currently available at Sephora, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Barneys New York, Bergdorf Goodman, Bloomingdale’s, Harrods, Macy’s, Net-A-Porter, Violet Grey, and BobbiBrown.com

Squeeze Pods Review

September 7, 2018 / TRAVELS & PLACES / 0 comments

Traveling is a lot of fun, but it can also be really annoying. For me personally, I hate the packing part of it and having to go through security and worrying whether my luggage is gonna go through just fine or whether it’s gonna get flagged. I tend to overpack and I just can’t help it, LOL. Most of the time, I have problems trying to close my luggage right after packing because of too much stuff, and because of that, I’ve contemplated several times as to how I could make my travels, especially the “packing” a lot easier. I know for sure that I tend to pack too many toiletries, apart from packing too much makeup, clothes, and shoes. The thing is, I haven’t been able to find the product that will help lighten up my luggage, and I’ve been wishing for one. Most of us, like yours truly, still carry travel-size shampoos, conditioners, and lotions, or even moisturizers and sunscreens that take up much space. Fortunately, I’ve recently discovered Squeeze Pods – these are single-use premium toiletries or pods that are about the size and weight of a quarter. They’re TSA- compliant, easy to pack, compact, and super lightweight. Also, they’re leak-proof and are very convenient to use, you just have to literally snap, squeeze and go. Each pod delivers just the right amount of product you need for every use, and the ingredients are all natural. There are no sulfates, parabens, phthalates, phosphates, and most of all, they’re cruelty-free. In other words, these mini single-use pods will make your traveling easy and will revolutionize the way people travel.

These pods are so ideal for camping, short trips, sleepovers, or even long-term trips since you can buy them in kits or in bulk, depending on the product you want, and they’re not that expensive. For example, you can buy 10 or 30 single-use premium shampoo pods for $12.99 or $16.99 (6% off) and these pods don’t leak and they’re easy to pack, so they don’t really take up much space, which eliminates the necessity for heavy or bulky toiletries. On top of that, they’re just so easy to use, just snap the narrow tip with the perforated crease and squeeze. They’re so cute that you have to be careful and make sure that the kids don’t play with them because they can be a choking hazard. I also toss a few of these in my purse, especially the Sunscreen, and also I kept some inside my gym bag so I could use them right after working out. To me, these are just so convenient.

Natural Facial Cleanser – Has a slight floral scent, feels creamy and it’s really mild on the skin.

Premium & Natural Shampoo – Sulfate-free and mild on the hair. May need to use two pods if you have long hair, like mine. The premium one smells fresh and the natural one smells like sweet Vanilla.

Natural Conditioner – Sulfate-free. Also very mild on the hair, and it doesn’t leave my hair too oily or too greasy. The scent is sweet and fresh.

Natural Moisturizing Lotion – Has a lemon fresh scent and it feels very creamy and really moisturizing.

Premium Body Wash – Sweet, fresh and a bit earthy. Love that it lathers well on the skin.

Natural Facial Sunscreen SPF 28 – Very creamy and unscented. It doesn’t irritate the skin since it’s mild and it doesn’t leave much white residue on the face.

Natural Toilet Odor Eliminator – With Eucalyptus and Citrus scent, you just have to squeeze this directly to the toilet and this can eliminate bathroom odors.

Other toiletry pods available but not included in this review are the shave creams and the hair gels.

No more lugging around those bulky toiletries, I like these because they’re just so practical to use and I love the natural ingredients, which works really well for my skin and my hair, and that means a lot to me because I’m one that’s really picky with the skin and hair products I use. Overall, I really like these pods and I love its whole concept. I think they’re ideal if you’re into packing light and saving space in your luggage or any travel bags.

Have you tried these already?

These Squeeze Pods are currently available at http://www.squeezepod.com and at Amazon.com

*product samples provided by Squeeze Pods. All opinions and reviews herein are solely by the editor.